Every seller wants to sell their home fast and bring top dollar. This is not going to happen on it’s own, but with careful planning and with the knowing on how to professionally spruce up your home, you will send home buyers scurrying for their checkbooks. Here is how to prep a house and turn it into an irresistible and marketable home.
1. DETERMINE WHY YOU ARE SELLING
The first step is to analyze your motive for selling. Once you decide you are not selling your house simply “because” then you know you are on the correct path.
2. FIND A LISTING AGENT
Talk to at least three Realtors. Ask each to give you a marketing plan that explains what they will do to MARKET your home. In addition, ask the agents to prepare a comparative market analysis for you and ask each for advice. DO NOT pick an agent based on the higher appealing listing price, but one that has provided sufficient evidence on why to list at a specific number.
3. PICK A REALISTIC PRICE
It is said that 80% of marketing a home is the price of the home! That first opportunity when your house is the NEW LISTING on the block is when most of the attention and traffic will be diverted towards your house and that listing price is what determines who stops by and who does not. If a price does not work for a buyer they simply keep driving or click the next website. Put yourself in a buyer’s shoes…what is the most important criteria you need to enter in your search? YOUR MAXIMUM PURCHASE PRICE! Lowering the price AFTER it has been on the market may trigger questions for buyers like “What is wrong with it?” and “Why is it not selling?”
4. LET GO EMOTIONALLY
Start to disassociate yourself with your home. After living in your home and having it as your safe haven from the outside world it is common to become attached. However, to make the best financial decisions it is advised to disassociate yourself with your home. Try to remind yourself that the home will no longer be yours. To help disassociate yourself start to pack up those personal photographs and family heirlooms. This will also help the process of staging your home by removing some personal artifacts that could be distracting to buyers. You don’t want to make any buyer ask, “I wonder what kind of people live in this home?” You want buyers to say, “I can see myself living here.” You want buyers to imagine their own photos on the walls, and they can’t do that if yours are there.
5. DE-CLUTTER THE HOUSE
The next VERY IMPORTANT STEP is to de-clutter your house and create as much open space as possible. Start to put away books, knickknacks, and clean off counter tops. Think of this as a head start for packing.
6. PROPERLY STAGE
Almost every home shows better with less furniture and it is a proven statistic that homes with professional staging sell quicker and for higher prices. You can start by removing pieces of furniture that block or hamper paths and walkways and put them in storage. Remove extra leaves from your dining room table to make the room appear larger. Leave just enough furniture in each room to showcase the room’s purpose and plenty of room to move around. You don’t want buyers scratching their heads and saying, “What is this room used for?” Also, if you want to take a specific item (window coverings, built in appliances, etc.) take it before a buyer sees it. If the buyer does not see it they will not ask for it.
7. ORGANIZE EVERYTHING
The next few pieces of advice may seem over the top, but are definitely worth the effort. Buyers love to snoop and open closets and cabinet doors. Put everything away neatly and organized. Picture a neat closet compared to a messy one. Line up all the shoes in the closet, all the cups in the cabinets, and all the spices in the kitchen.
8. FIX MINOR REPAIRS
Now once the preliminary work is done start to make MINOR repairs that can be done quickly and cheaply. For example, replace cracked floor or counter tiles, patch holes in walls, fix leaky faucets, fix doors that don’t close properly and kitchen drawers that jam, consider painting your walls neutral colors, especially if you have grown accustomed to purple or pink walls, replace burned-out light bulbs, replace worn bedspreads, just to name a few. Having less repairs will give confidence to the buyer and also prevent the escrow process from being delayed for incomplete repairs.
9. CLEAN UP
The most tedious task will be cleaning. Please do your best and concentrate on the items listed: Wash windows inside and out, pressure wash sidewalks and exteriors, clean cobwebs, re-caulk tubs, showers and sinks, polish chrome faucets and mirrors, clean out the refrigerator, vacuum daily, wax floors, dust furniture, ceiling fan blades and light fixtures, bleach dingy grout, replace worn rugs, polish all door handles and knobs, hang up fresh towels, and lastly be sure there are NO WEIRD SMELLS!!!!
10. CREATE CURB APPEAL
Finally, check the curb appeal of the home. If a buyer won’t get out of their agent’s car because they doesn’t like the exterior of your home, you’ll never get them inside. Keep the sidewalks clear, mow the lawn, paint old paint, plant bright yellow flowers, trim all trees and brushes, and be sure your house numbers are easily visible. Also, be sure your house numbers are visible from the street.
11. BE FLEIXBLE
The more times you are able to let potential buyers and their agents view your home the more likely you will sell your home. Allowing buyers to only view your home during business hours is not suggested. If at all possible, let your Listing Agent install a Supra Key lock box on your house. This will only allow LICENSED REALTORS along with their clients to enter your home. If you cannot be flexible with your home viewing time, then set specific times and days so that your Agent can market this information to buyers and buyer’s agents.
